MOSCOW, May 23 (Reuters) - Russia's top general said on Friday that Moscow would take steps to respond to what he said was increased NATO activity near its border amid the crisis in Ukraine.

"The intensity, the operational and combat readiness of the (western military) alliance's troops is being increased near the Russian border. In these circumstances ... We have to take retaliatory measures," General Valery Gerasimov, the chief of general staff of the Russian armed forces, said.

(Reporting by Thomas Grove, Writing by Alissa de Carbonnel; Editing by John Stonestreet)